Antitilt and stop means for sliding shelves



May 1, 1951 E. D. DRAKE ANTITILT AND STOP MEANS FOR SLIDING SHELVES Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Illllll IIL , INVENTOR. EAM D. DPA/@E May 1, 1951 E. D. DRAKE 2,550,980

ANTITILT AND sToP MEANS FOR sLInING Ismms Filed Dec. 23, 1944 2 sheets-'sheet 2 INVENTOR. 54,@ D. 0214455 Patented` May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES son Refrigerator (10rrl'pany,v Greenville, Michl,

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinets and more particularly to sliding shelves and shelf guides therefor.

` The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelform of shelf guide fora sliding shelf which prevents accidental-removal of the shelf but permits'ready removalth'ereof when desired.

A furtherv object of the invention is to 'provide a shelf guide having novel means thereonfor minimizing friction between the shelf and guide.

Another object is to provide a novel anti friction element for supporting a shelf ordrawer andfor limiting lateral movement thereof.

These objects will more fully appear inthe following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinl" Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional vie'wofa refrigerator cabinet embodying the inventionk" Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional'fvie'w onv an enlarged scale illustrating the shelffand its guide;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectionalwiew similar to Figure 2 showing the shelf in tilted position ready Afor removal;

Figure 4 is an exploded pictorial view showing one form of anti-friction element and its'nlanner of attachmentto the shelf guide;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary pictorial vew'of one ofgtherear corners of the shelf showing the under side thereof;

Figure 6 is a pictorial view of the antre-friction element employed on the shelf;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 'I-'I of Figure "1; and

Figure 8 is an exploded pictorial view of the structure shown in Figure 7.

The drawings illustrate a refrigerator cabinet II) having a sliding shelf II slidably mounted on a pair of longitudinally extending guides 12g-and a sliding drawer 2l. The shelf is mountedon anti-friction elements on the guides in a manner to prevent accidental dislodgment of the shelf but to permit ready removal of the shelf for cleaning, as will more fully appear presently. The drawer 2| is also mounted on novel anti-friction elements.

The refrigerator cabinet is of substantially conventional-design. It includes an outer casing I3 anda 'liner `I4 located within the outer casing and spaced therefrom; The liner forms a refrigerated compartment. The liner is composed ofi oppositely disposed upright side walls I5, top and bottom Walls I6 and Il respectively, and a rear wall I 8. Insulation I9 is placed between the outercasing and the liner to minimize heat transfer.V

Any convenient number of shelves may be utilized within thev liner I4 for the convenient storage of food. Only one shelf Il is shown.

lThe shelf herein shown preferably is formed of a sheet of glass, although it will be evident that shelves of wire or othermaterial may be utilized as well. vShelf II is bound aroundits edges by a metallic frame 20 formed of lmembers of angular configuration. On the under side of the shelf at the two rear corners thereof a pair of abutments 22 are attached.l The abutments 22 are of generally Z-shaped cross-sectionl with o ne leg attached to the frame 2 and thefother leg spaced below the frame and extending later--I ally outwardly from the shelf. The' abutments 22 are adaptedto engagethe guidesA I2 as will appear presently. The abutments depend from the under side ofthe shelf. p

As an aid in minimizing' friction between the shelf and its guides the abutments 22 are lined with U-shaped anti-friction elements 23 (see Figures 5 and 6). Theelements 23 may be formed of one of the harder plastic materials, if desired. The lower leg of the element 23 has two parallel slots 2li therein. The lower leg of the abutment 22 isbifurcated'to providea notch into which the lower leg vof the element 23 ts. The bifurcations tinto the slots 24 in the antifriction element 23. Preferably all three interior surfaces ofthe U shaped element 23 are slightly curved as indicated in Figure 6.

The two-guides I2 for the shelf are identical and only onewi'll be described. Each guide I2 is of generally L shaped cross-section, having legs 25 and 29. The'upright leg 25 is hollow, `as indicated best in Figure 4, and its outer wall is provided with Aa continuous longitudinally ex-4 tending slot 2li;A (See Figure 4.) Screws or simi-` lar fasteners 27 are inserted through the slot 2S with the heads thereof within the hollow leg 25. The fasteners are received in openings in the up right side I5 of the liner and held in place by suitable nuts which may be of the quick acting sheet metal type. The fastening screws 2l can beadjusted longitudinally of the guide in order to fit into the holes in the wall I5 of the liner. The inner wall of the leg 25 is imperforate so that the fastening meansmZ'I-g will be completely concealed when the guide l2 isin place.v

'I 'herhorizontal` leg A29 of theV guide is provided adjacent its front end with an anti-frictionY ele-1 menta-30 see Figure 3). The element 3U` vis similar to element 23 previously described, but is of L-shaped instead of U-shaped configuration. The horizontal leg of element 30 is provided with slots 3l which receive the sides of a notch 32 in the lower leg 29 of the guide. The side walls of the slots 3l overlie the top and bottom surfaces of the leg 29.

Some distance rearwardly of the front end of the guide is an opening 33. The opening 33 is formed by partially severing and bending the metal of the leg 29 to form an abutment 34. The abutment 34 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The longitudinal dimension of the opening 33 is preferably slightly less than the corresponding dimension of the abutment 22 on the shelf but is greater than the thickness of the lower leg of the abutment 22 with its anti-friction element 23.

When in place, the shelf I I rests upon the lower legs 29 of the guides I2 with the U-shaped abutments 22 embracing said legs. This position of the shelf is shown in Figures l and 2. With this arrangement the only points of contact between the guide and shelf are the adjoining surfaces of the anti-friction elements 23 and 39. Thus, the shelf can be moved forwardly and rearwardly with little effort.

The shelf can be moved forwardly from its position Within the cabinet shown in Figure 1 until the abutment 22 strikes the inclined abutment 34. This latter position is shown in dotted lines in Figure l, Any articles of food on the shelf are thus readily accessible. The shelf cannot be accidentally dislodged while it is in this position, however, because when the abutments 22 and 34 are in contact, the rear edge of the abutment 22 still underlies the horizontal portion of the guide directly in the rear of the notch 33. However, if it is desired to remove the shelf for cleaning, that is readily effected by lifting the forward edge of the shelf to an inclined position, as shown in Figure 3, and pulling the shelf from the guides. As will be evident in Figure 3, the size of the opening 33 is greater than the thickness of abutment 22 so that when the shelf is tilted, the abutment 22 readily moves through the notch 33. The shelf is replaced as quickly as it is removed by reversing the procedure previously described.

It will be noted that the anti-friction elements 23 and 3D are constructed so that they not only provide vertical support for the shelf but prevent undue lateral movement. In other words the under sides of the upper legs of the elements 22 rest upon the horizontal legs of guides l2 while the shelf rests upon the upper surfaces of the horizontal legs of the elements 39 to provide the vertical support for the shelf. The inner surfaces of the Vertical portions of elements 23 engage the adjacent edges of guides l2 while the inner surfaces of the vertical portions of elements 30 engage the adjacent edges of the shelf Il, thereby limiting lateral movement of the shelf.

Anti-friction elements 35 similar to elements 30 are also employed to support the sliding drawer 2i in the bottom of the refrigerator cabinet I0. They provide both vertical and lateral support for the drawer.

The drawer 2l may be of any suitable construction. Preferably it is of rectangular box shape and is formed by sheet metal. It is of relatively large size and when fully loaded may be quite heavy. Hence the need to reduce the friction between the drawer and its guides is quite apparent.

The drawer 2| is supported by a combination of rollers and anti-friction elements having sliding contact with the drawer. A pair of angle members 36 are rigidly fastened to the lower longitudinal edges of the drawer 2l. The angle members 36 are considerably longer than the drawer and extend rearwardly thereof. A pair of rollers 31 are attached to the upright flanges of the angle members 36 by pins 33 adjacent the rear ends of the members 36. The rollers revolve freely on the pins 39.

A pair of channels 39 are securely attached to the inside of the cabinet parallel to the angle members 36. The iianges of the channels 39 are located adjacent, but spaced from, the sides of the drawer 2| and receive the rollers 31 between them. (See Figure 7.)

At the front of the cabinet and substantially aligned with the channels 39 are the two antifriction elements 35. The anti-friction elements 35 are plastic blocks 4U secured to metallic brackets 4I. The brackets 4I are of angular cross section and preferably are welded to the front of the base of the cabinet,

Each plastic block 40 is cut away to provide an upwardly extending knife edge 42 and a laterally extending knife edge 43. These knife edges engage the bottom and side fianges of the angle member 36 which is attached to the drawer.

When the drawer 2| is moved in and out, the forward portion of the drawer and the attached angle member slide on the knife edges 42 and i3 while roller 3l moves within 'the channel 39. The cooperation of the roller and channel prevents the drawer from tipping forward when the drawer is pulled well out. The knife edges provide support for the drawer and limit the lateral movement thereof.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel shelf guide which permits ready removal of the shelf when desired, but absolutely prevents accidental dislodgment of the shelf when it is pulled to its forwardmost position. The shelf guides are Very simply fabricated and easily attached to the walls of the refrigerator, and are distinctly ornamental when in place because no fastening means whatever are visible. Also the novel form of anti-friction element permits easy movement of the shelf while guiding the same in its longitudinal movement.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A cabinet having a storage chamber therein defined in part by oppositely disposed upright side walls, a pair of oppositely disposed elongated horizontal shelf guides mounted on said walls, a shelf slidably mounted on said guides for forward and rearward movement, and means for limiting said forward movement comprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined abutment on each guide and a cooperating abutment depending from each side of said sheif, said last named abutments having horizontal legs extending beneath the adjacent guides, said guides having laterally inwardly opening notches therein directly above the abutments on the guides to permit removal therethrough of the abutments on the shelf.

2. In a cabinet having an upright side wall, means in said cabinet for slidably supporting a shelf, said means comprising an L-shaped guide attached to said side wall and a generally L-shaped anti-friction element secured to said guide, said anti-friction element being attached comprising an abutment depending from each guide and a cooperating abutment depending from each side of said shelf and extending beneath the adjacent guides, each of said guides having an opening therein rearwardly of and closely adjacent to the abutment thereon to permit removal therethrough of the abutments on the shelf, the longitudinal dimensions of the openings in the guides being less than the corresponding dimensions of the abutments on the shelf and greater than the vertical dimensions of the last named abutments.

4. A cabinet having a storage chamber therein defined in part by oppositely disposed upright side walls, a pair of oppositely disposed elongated horizontal shelf guides mounted on said walls, a shelf slidably mounted on said guides for forward and rearward movement, and means for limiting the forward movement of said shelf comprising an abutment depending from each guide and a cooperating abutment depending from each side of said shelf and extending beneath the adjacent guide, each of said guides having an opening therein rearwardly of and closely adjacent to the abutment thereon. to permit removal therethrough of the abutments on the shelf, the rearward surfaces of the abutments on the guides being inclined rearwardly and downwardly from said guides and being located below the respective openings in the guides.

5. A cabinet having a storage chamber therein defined in part by oppositely disposed upright aro side walls, a pair of oppositely disposed elongated horizontal shelf guidesmounted on said Walls, each of said guides comprising a horizontal flange projecting laterally from' the associated Wall, a shelf slidably mounted on said flanges for forward and rearward movement, and means for limiting the forward movement of said shelf comprising an abutment depending from each guide and a cooperating abutment depending from each side of said shelf and extending beneath the flange adjacent thereto, each of the abutments on said flanges having downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear surfaces, each of said anges having a notch therein opening toward the opposite wall of the chamber and located closely adjacent to the abutment on the respective flange, the inclined surface of each abutment underlying the portion of the notch in the respective flange.

6. A cabinet as defined in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal dimensions of the notches in the guides are less than the corresponding dimensions of the abutments on the shelf and greater than the vertical dimensions of said last named abutments.

EARL D. DRAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patentr.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 316,176 Ransom s Apr. 2l, 1885 1,191,198 Kuhn et al. July 18, 1916 1,902,748 Ziehl Mar. 21, 1933 1,974,830 Moecker Sept. 25, 1934 1,975,327 Loney Oct. 2, 1934 1,995,739 Friesner Mar. 26, 1935 2,011,189 Anderson Aug. 13, 1935 x 2,155,654 Haley Apr. 25, 1939 2,318,800 Rakow May 11, 1943 

